What Exactly Happens


The explosives in the mine create a wall of air and debris that expands outward at nearly 7000 m/s. Some have added metal projectiles (like ball bearings, sharp flechettes or nails) that puncture soft flesh and shred bones.
Shock waves are so intense that it is normal to find victims with their feet still in their boots, but whose bones have turned into projectiles that kill other people.
If the victim was not killed by the shock or from the excessive loss of blood, infection would likely be next in line. However, many victims to do not get through to this stage, mostly having bled to death in remote palces.
Treatement normally just involves amputation and lots of morphine. Although simple, in those afflicted countries, it is hard to come by...

Scatter mines
Origins : Soviet
Found : sprinkled all over Afghanistan
Designed to : injure, not kill
What happens : explodes when twisted or pressed firmly. Injure mainly children, since adults know not to pick them up.
'Upgrades' : smart mine - able to arm themsevles, detonate without pressure, self-detonate after a specified period

**Antipersonnel mines (small)
Origins : Chinese, Italian, American (top sellers)
Found : (ideal for) villages, laterines, paddy fields; not buried
Designed to : create serious incapacitating injuries, not kill ~ affects morale
What happens : presure-sensitive; difficult to find because of plastic casing

**Antipersonnel mines (large)
Origins : Soviet (best seller)
Found : many Third World war zones
Designed to : maim/kill
What Happens : pressure operated; typically found buried under the surface - easily found if contains metal parts
'Upgrades' : larger versions can kill entire platoons

Fragmentation mines
Origins : American, Russian, Italian
Found : periphery of camps and ambush columns
Designed to : spray area with ball bearings/sharp metal pieces; cause maximum casulties; slow down advancing armies
What happens : 'booby trapped' - detonated when tripped; when triggered, mine projects upwards and sprays ball bearings/metal sharpnel in a 360-degree radius

Road mines
Origins : British, Italian
Found : Gulf War and other combat zones, Somalia, Southern Lebanon; dirt roads & on the sides of roads
Designed to : kill and disable vehicles
What happens : run-over and detonated; first few to be found (or run over) - easy to detect + found along major transportation corridors

** = most popular

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